FAQ

No, the existence of a CVE does not guarantee that a patch is available. A CVE may be published before a vendor has developed a fix, or even in cases where no fix is planned (for example, for obsolete or no longer maintained software). In these situations, users must implement workarounds or disable certain vulnerable features.

It is therefore essential not only to consult the CVE, but also to check the recommendations of the vendors and databases such as the NVD or the KEV database, which can indicate whether a patch exists and within what timeframe it is expected. Good risk management takes into account both the severity of the vulnerability and the availability of solutions.

To determine if a CVE is actively exploited, several information sources can be consulted. The most reliable is the KEV (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities) database maintained by the CISA, which lists CVEs whose exploitation has been confirmed in the wild. It is updated regularly and often used to establish remediation priorities. This information is directly accessible on our website CVE Find.

You can also rely on the EPSS score, which estimates the probability of a CVE being exploited within 30 days of its publication, based on real data. Finally, threat intelligence tools, CERT reports, or vendor security bulletins can also indicate whether a vulnerability is currently being used by attackers.

A CVE is simply a public declaration that a flaw exists in a given product, while an exploited vulnerability means that an attacker is actively using this flaw to compromise systems. In other words, not all CVEs are exploited in real-world conditions: some may remain theoretical or technical.

Conversely, a vulnerability can be exploited without yet having received a CVE - this is what is called a zero-day. To assess the real danger of a CVE, it is necessary to consult additional information such as the CISA's KEV data or the EPSS score, which indicate whether the flaw is actively used in cyberattacks. This information is available directly from our website CVE Find.

The KEV (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities) list published by CISA identifies vulnerabilities that are actively exploited in the wild, meaning they are already being used in real-world cyberattacks. The purpose of this list is to help organizations prioritize their remediation efforts by focusing on vulnerabilities that pose an immediate threat.

By publishing this list, CISA provides a very practical risk management tool: it identifies not only known vulnerabilities, but also the most critical and urgent ones. For U.S. federal agencies, patching these vulnerabilities is mandatory within strict deadlines. But beyond the United States, the KEV is widely consulted by cybersecurity professionals worldwide to guide their patch management strategy.